


Two Peas in a Pod (Two Pills in a Bottle)

by GhostCwtch



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Anxiety, Gen, I have a lot of feelings on these two, abuse of science equipment, anger issues, discussion of medication, implied bipolar disorder, manic behavior
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-02
Updated: 2013-08-02
Packaged: 2017-12-22 03:53:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/908583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostCwtch/pseuds/GhostCwtch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They say first impressions are everything. Hermann's impression of Dr. Geiszler is that they've got some things in common.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two Peas in a Pod (Two Pills in a Bottle)

**Author's Note:**

> I fear that my characterization is a little off on these two. I've only seen the movie once and I'm still working on writing their voices. That said, I've got more feelings than I know what to do with and so I wrote this. I'm not happy with how it ends but I've niggled at it until I'm sick of looking at it.

A beaker shatters against a wall, flying so close Hermann can feel the breeze of it passing. He turns to look, sure that his eyes are wide enough to make all the taunts of "frog face" seem accurate.  Behind him, not even looking his way, is a thin man, covered in tattoos with the sleeves of his white button down shoved haphazardly up around his elbow. His hair is wild and his hands are shaking. It's possible that Hermann has seen him here and there during the transition into this Shatterdome, but he doesn't know the other man's name.  
  
As if he can feel Hermann's lingering gaze, the man, the scientist if he's in here, twists around. It looks like he's trying writhe out of his skin with the motion. It takes a moment for his eyes to settle and when they do, they're as wide as Hermann's feel. He's staring at the glass, or else looking through and beyond Hermann, beyond the confines of the lab.  
  
"Hey there, didn't hit you, did I? Didn't see you. I'd say I'm sorry, but really I didn't hit you, so I don't think there's anything to be sorry for, do you? I'm Newt. Well, Newton but you can call me Newt."  
  
Hermann's mother raised him well, and he is compelled to respond. "Dr. Hermann Gottlieb."  
  
"Oh yeah? Wow, okay so we're working together now. Kaiju crazy days, man, I'm a biologist you know, and tell you something, these things are funky mothers."  Newt runs a hand through hair that already stands on end. "I just want to see one, alive, you know? It'd really help my research, maybe even just get some fresh organs. They decompose so fast outside of the ammonia baths. That's why, the beaker. I was trying a new solution but, well. Back to the drawing board on that one. Do you know, I've heard, that, that on the black market they can get anything. I've never seen some of it, what they're supposed to sell. Fucking live skin mites. I know there's a way, if they can do it. I just, I just can't think in here, you know? New space, gotta move in, get settled, let the ideas flow, right?"  
  
Hermann turns away, uncomfortable. He gets the feeling that pre K-Day, Newt would have been on some form of medication that even the black market dealers can't get these days. It makes things harder, for people like that. Like them.  
  
People like Hermann.  
  
He hadn't taken much in the way of prescriptions, one to ease the constant pain in his leg when it flared up, digging claws and teeth into the base of his spine, another to help when he had to present his work or leave his secluded lab and venture into a crowded space. Something to let him breathe and to steady his hands.  
  
If he had any of the latter left, he'd share some now with Newt.

Newton.  
  
Dr. Geiszler.   
  
He'd share and he'd take some, just one or two, just one more time to feel like his lungs were filled with rich oxygen instead of the stale, recycled air pumped down to the basement lab here in the Shatterdome. He'd take some and breathe and give some to Dr. Geiszler and watch the other man wind down and relax until everyone was as close to happy as they could get with Kaiju in the world.

 

This time it's a graduated cylinder that shatters against the wall.


End file.
